


'Meat' coda

by reiley



Series: Torchwood Jack/Ianto Ficlets [8]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Angsty Schmoop, Ficlet Collection, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-13
Updated: 2013-02-13
Packaged: 2017-11-29 03:48:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/682406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reiley/pseuds/reiley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>originally posted 01/27/08</p>
    </blockquote>





	'Meat' coda

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted 01/27/08

* * *

Jack leans back in his chair, but he can't take his eyes off the image onscreen. He doesn't even hear Ianto enter the room.

"Everything alright, sir?"

Absently, Jack nods. "Yeah. Wait." He turns and meets Ianto's eyes. "What?"

"I said, is everything alright?"

"You called me 'sir.' I thought we'd moved past that?"

"Oh, well," Ianto stutters, turning away. "Old habits."

Jack studies him curiously. "Ianto..."

"So, what's been decided about Rhys? You aren't going to do anything?"

With a sigh, Jack turns back to his monitor, the couple long gone from the shot. "Gwen's made her decision."

"Right." Ianto gives a tiny, succint nod and stuffs his hands in his pockets. "It's nice for her. Now she won't have to lie to him all the time. I mean, they are getting married. You're supposed to share everything with your partner. That is the meaning of the word, isn't it? Partner." He glances up at Jack, but the man is still staring at the screen with _that_ look in his eyes. Ianto sighs nearly inaudibly, pulls hands from his pockets and makes to leave the office. "Well, I suppose I'll be go-"

"Did I ruin her life?"

Ianto turns back and finds Jack staring at him, eyes huge and pleading. "What?"

"Gwen. She had this perfectly happy, normal life. Then I come along and take it all away from her, destroy everything she's built, nearly get her killed, nearly get her partner killed. I ruined her life, didn't I?"

"Jack..." Ianto moves toward the desk, not sure where he stands in this. He hangs back just a little. "If I remember correctly, she's the one that stuck her nose in where it didn't belong. She's the one that sought you out." _Still seeking you,_ he adds silently.

"But I didn't have to offer her a position here. I could have retconned her again, could have let her go. Let her be."

"And would that have worked? She broke past the retcon once, she could do it again. It's in her nature to..." Ianto tries to think of the right words.. "To want to know everything. To _understand_ everything. It's who she is. It's why you hired her." He pauses, forces himself to meet Jack's eye. "Isn't it?"

"Yeah." With a dull nod, Jack looks away. "Mostly."

This time Ianto comes around the desk, sitting on the edge, close enough to Jack to touch, but not reaching out yet. He doesn't even need to say anything.

"She was a reminder, I guess. Of life. Of people. Of how it should be and why I should care. All the people on this tiny little planet, Ianto. They matter." He laughs, but it is the saddest sound Ianto has ever heard. "I have a habit of forgetting that after a while." He looks up into Ianto's eyes. "I want her to have a life. I don't want to be the thing that detroys it. I see Owen and Tosh, both so hardened already. And even you. I hate knowing that I'm the monster that ruins everything, leaving death and decay in my wake."

"Jack." Ianto reaches up now, running his fingers through Jack's hair, cupping Jack's chin in his hand. He shakes his head. "She chose this life. We all did. We choose to be here, to do what we do." He leans forward, his lips nearly touching Jack's. "We choose to follow you."

"But you-"

"We know the risks and we still choose you." He kisses Jack very lightly, just a brush of lips, then whispers, "I still choose to be with you."

Jack surges forward, mashing his lips to Ianto's, arms sliding round his waist and hauling them both up, standing very close. He pulls back, searching Ianto's eyes. "You don't regret meeting me?"

Breathless, Ianto replies, "Well, you certainly make life more interesting."

"Ianto..."

"No, Jack."

With a great sigh of relief, Jack rests his head against Ianto's shoulder and squeezes him a little tighter. He grins. "Hey, we should try going on those dates more often. They're sort of normal, right?"

"If you consider that every time we try we get interrupted by alien invasions then yes, that would be our very own version of normal, I suppose. But no more romantic comedies. A man can only take so much. Come on, let's go home."

* * *


End file.
